Top Wednesday shows drop

NBC's 'Talent,' CBS' 'Brother' still top the night

Top Wednesday shows “America’s Got Talent” on NBC and “Big Brother” on CBS were on the low side this week, allowing Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” to swoop in and win the night among young adults.

According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, ”So You Think You Can Dance” averaged a 2.0 rating/6 share in adults 18-49 and 5.9 million viewers overall from 8 to 10 p.m., placing second in each half-hour but earning Fox a nightly victory in 18-49 because lower ratings in the 10 o’clock hour drove down the averages for its broadcast rivals. ”Dance” was on par with last week and matched, or was up slightly in some categories, vs. the same night last year.

At NBC, gameshow ”Minute to Win It” didn’t do much opening the night (1.1/4 in 18-49, 4.7 million viewers overall), but the net surged to the lead at 9 o’clock with ”America’s Got Talent” , Wednesday’s top-rated program and up a bit vs. its comparable night of last summer. Also for NBC, which led the night in total viewers, ”Love in the Wild” edged up at 10 p.m. (1.6/5 in 18-49, 5.1 million viewers overall) to easily top ABC and CBS for the hour among young adults.

CBS’ ”Big Brother” (2.3/8 in 18-49, 6.6 million viewers overall) was down vs. last week, but on par with last year and the No. 1 choice among adults 18-49 in the 8 o’clock hour. It was followed by repeat dramas ”Criminal Minds” (1.2/3 in 18-49, 5.2 million viewers overall) and ”CSI” (1.2/3 in 18-49, 6.3 million viewers overall).

ABC was last among the major nets with its repeats of ”The Middle” (0.9/3 in 18-49, 4.0 million viewers overall), ”Modern Family” both at 8:30 (1.2/4 in 18-49, 4.1 million viewers overall) and its regular slot at 9 (1.4/4 in 18-49, 4.4 million viewers overall) and ”Happy Endings” (0.9/3 in 18-49, 2.8 million viewers overall). Closing out the night was the low-rated ”Primetime Nightline” (1.0/3 in 18-49, 3.5 million viewers overall).